East Fallowfield Parks and Recreation Committee

About Parks and Recreation

Mission Statement

To facilitate the development and maintenance of safe and accessible passive and active park and recreational facilities to meet the identified needs and interests of the residents of East Fallowfield Township, Pennsylvania.

Committee Members

Chairperson:

Teri Dickinson

Vice Chairman:

 

Secretary:

Voting Members:

 

Clare Small

Teri Dickinson

Christen Ali

Fred Weiss

Robin Barnes Burdik

Stephanie Scotton

Jonathan Egger

Contact Us

Contact the Parks and Recreation Department by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Park Bench Donation Program

Park Bench Donation Program

The East Fallowfield Township ‘Park Bench Program’ offers donors the opportunity to dedicate a park bench in memory of a loved one or as a celebration of a special event such as a birth or marriage.

Benches are placed at the East Fallowfield Township Park (900 Buck Run Road).

The cost of a bench is $887 or $930 depending upon the size of the plaque placed on the bench.

 

Click here for More Information on the Park Bench Program and to download an application form.

 

Park Use Fees - Facility Use Permit

Security Deposit: 

A separate security deposit of $100.00 is required for each reservation of the pavilion, informal field or other area of the Park and must accompany the application for permit.

Township residents and Township non-profit organizations:

$50 - Mondays through Thursdays 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Fridays through Sundays 8:00 AM to dusk (including Federal holidays; excluding days when Township sponsored events are scheduled)

No Charge - Mondays through Thursdays from 5:00 PM to dusk (including Federal holidays; excluding days when Township sponsored events are scheduled).

Non-profit organizations:  limited to two reservations per month.

Non-Township residents, non-Township non-profit organizations and all businesses:

$100.00 - Mondays through Sundays 8:00 am to dusk (including Federal holidays; excluding days when Township sponsored events are scheduled).

Informal Field Use Fees:

No use fee charged for informal play field or for other areas of the park.

Payment:

Must accompany application. Make checks payable to "East Fallowfield Township".

Park Rules

Park Users: Please review and follow the Park Rules – to view the complete list of Park Rules, please click here. The Park Rules have been carefully established to help ensure the enjoyment of the Park by ALL users, to protect the health, safety and welfare of Park users, and to protect the natural resources and facilities of the Park. Please respect other users at all times. The Park Rules for use of the Township’s Park and recreation facilities are established by Township Ordinance and enforceable by law. Please be mindful of Park Rules, including the rule to do no harm to wildlife or plants, and the rule to keep dogs on leash and under control of the owner at all times.

Dog People! Let's Keep the Park Dog-Friendly

The Park Rules and Township Ordinance # 2012-01 clearly state:

  • Pets must be kept on a leash and under control of a responsible person at all times.
  • Pet owners are required to clean up after their pets and deposit any used pet waste bags in a trash receptacle. (Pet owners are encouraged to use pet waste bags provided in the park).

The Township is receiving increasing complaints regarding dog owners allowing dogs to run free in the Park. Please obey these simple Park rules so that dogs continue to be allowed in the Park and ALL users can feel comfortable and safe in the Park. Please clean-up after your dog/dogs - there are now 3 doggie stations in the Park,one at the gravel parking lot above the pone, one at the north end of the informal playfield, and one at Crossing Blvd. where the walking trail starts (off Rt. 82). Please use the trash cans provided (located by the three stations and elsewhere in the Park). Do NOT put the bags in the Port-A-Pottie. These and all Park Rules are enforceable by law with fines.

Field Guide to Wildlife in the Park

A field guide to wildlife in the East Fallowfield Community Park is available. It includes many interesting photos, facts and information about the natural resources in the Park. You can download it here, or they are available for $3 each at the township office.

Over 5 Miles of Trails in East Fallowfield Community Park

The weather is warming up and it’s a great time to come to East Fallowfield Community Park to try out over 5 miles of trails.  When you enter on Buck Run Road, you will be parked at the “Playing Field Loop”, a paved, ADA trail almost a half mile in length (.42 mile). As you pass by, be sure to check the postings at the Informational Kiosk built by Eagle Scout Ben Selin. Need a rest yet? Sit and watch the children play on the playground from one of the picnic table benches built by Chris Pearlberg for his Eagle project. Continue walking down the hill, winding your way to the beautiful pond.  This “Pond Trail” is also ADA, a combination of paved and mulched trail, adding another half mile (.48 miles). Picnic tables near the pond were the work of Eagle Scout Joe Becker.

After crossing the covered bridge over Dennis Run, built by Eagle Scout J. Hammond, you will find the “Mowed Meadow Trail” of over 1 mile (lower mowed trail, .47 mile ; upper mowed trail .60 mile). The lower trail takes you along the wood line.  You can stop for a break at the beautiful benches built as an Eagle project by Jeff Schaeffer.  For more of an adventurous trek, travel over the amazing twin bridges.  This ambitious Eagle project was the work of Kyle Martin.  Trails through the woods will lead you uphill to the park Fall-Out Shelter, restored by Eagle Scout Nick Massaro, and beyond.

If instead you chose to continue on the mowed trail, enjoying the sunshine, you will meet up with our “Newly Dedicated Trail” (west-side trail.) Completing this will add another 1.35 miles to your trip.  This walk is a mix of paved, gravel and grass trail; both hilly and flat.  It takes you behind the East Fallowfield Police Station (on Rt. 82), across Crossing Blvd. and behind the Brook Crossing development. It starts out in the open, but continues into the shady woods, past wetlands and a dam.  One section of this trail is steep- be sure to use the hand rail.  There are several wooded trails to link back to the pond trail or mowed trails.

While enjoying the trails in the park, please be sure to keep our park rules in mind.  The park is open dawn to dusk.  Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the park. Pets are welcome, but must be leashed and under control at all times. You must clean up after your pets- several ‘Doggie Stations’ are available along the loop. Bicycles are permitted only on paved and gravel trails. A complete list of the rules can be found on this website.

There is much flora and fauna to be seen- come prepared to identify them by purchasing “A Field Guide to Wildlife”- an identification guide written specifically for East Fallowfield Community Park.  The color pamphlet may be purchased at the Township Building for $3.00 (to cover printing charges), or downloaded for free at this site.

We hope you will take the time to explore the trails at East Fallowfield Community Park.  Enjoy!

Ongoing Park Improvements - Updates

What’s In the Works

The Park & Recreation Commission received grant funding from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the County of Chester to replace the footbridge over Dennis Run and construct trail improvements for the Lower Meadow Trail at the Park. The project includes replacement of the footbridge over Dennis Run with a larger bridge that will allow ALL Park users to cross the creek by meeting the width and design standards for the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). A small trail segment will be improved to connect the existing wetlands footbridge with the new Dennis Run footbridge. In addition, the Lower Meadow Trail (currently mowed) will be paved and will connect the east end of the Park with the west end of the Park. This paved trail will be built to ADA design standards to allow all Park users to enjoy the meadow and adjacent woodlands all the way to the northwest end of the meadow. Additional park benches, trash receptacles, interpretive educational signage and a butterfly garden will be added along the Lower Meadow Trail. Engineering design and permitting is underway, and the project is scheduled for construction in 2015.

Also in 2015 –

  • a new informational kiosk is planned to be installed as an Eagle Scout project in 2015.
  • the Park entrance and road-side signs will be replaced.
  • a wetland-enhancement tree planting project is being planned for the Spring.

How Far We’ve Come !!

Phase I of East Fallowfield Community Park was completed in 2010 and was funded by East Fallowfield Township, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the County of Chester. Improvements completed as part of Phase I include the paved trail, playground, paved parking lot, the rain gardens, and landscape plantings.

In 2010, the Park & Recreation Commission also established a wonderful mowed meadow walking trail through the meadow along Strasburg Road. It has been in place for over two years and has become a very popular and well used feature of the Park. The Park & Recreation Commission has also requested that the Township manage this land area along Strasburg Road as a meadow, rather than as a mowed lawn. This means the entire meadow will be mowed only a few times per year rather than every 10 days to 2 weeks. This will encourage better wildlife habitat for song birds and other small mammals. And it will save the Township staff time and equipment and fuel costs by reducing the mowing frequency. As the vegetation will be growing taller between mowings, when it is cut, it will be hayed and removed. The mowed walking trail will be mowed frequently to maintain it as a comfortable walking environment for residents.

Also in 2010, the Park & Recreation Commission raised funds through donations from local residents and businesses to help fund construction of the Patriotic Landmark. The Landmark serves as the focal point of the Park and serves to raise awareness of the Park to the residents of our community, and presents a renewed support of our Nation. It presents both the American and State flags. The Landmark was built with private funds and grant funding from PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Residents and businesses can purchase a commemorative brick that will be a permanent part of the Landmark (see information above).

Also in 2010, the Park & Recreation Commission had three old groundwater monitoring wells “abandoned in place” and their “stick up” pipes removed. These wells were installed several years ago as part of an environmental site assessment completed for the former Strunk Chain Saw manufacturing activities and prior to transfer of the park land to the Township. Fortunately, no underground contamination was found. The three wells created “eyesores” and mowing obstructions where they “stuck up” above ground in the fields above the pond. The three wells were back-filled with grout in compliance with applicable “well abandonment” regulations and the “stick-up” pipes were removed.

In 2011, the Park & Recreation Commission constructed the picnic pavilion and the wetlands footbridge at the pond. The pavilion has become a very popular addition for Park users and has served as the center of several Park events. It also adds a very attractive feature to the landscape of the Park. The pavilion was constructed with funding from the Township and the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The footbridge spans an area of expanding wetland between the woodlands and the pond. This footbridge was badly needed as the area of the former path continued to become increasingly wet and impassable. The elevated footbridge now allows Park users to easily travers the wetland area and to stop along the way and enjoy the sites and sounds of the wetland, the pond and the woodlands. The footbridge was funded by the Township and a grant from PECO.

In 2012 and 2013 efforts focused on applying for state and county grants for the bridge and trail improvements. 2014 focused on the engineering design and specifications for the improvements, pursuing grant funding for a Park Stewardship and Vegetation/Habitat Management Plan, planning replacement of the 3 Park entrance and road-side signs, planning a new informational kiosk for the Lower Meadow Trail, and initial planning for the tree planting project to enhance the wetlands in the upper meadow, among other activities.

In 2015, the Park signs will be replaced at the Park entrance (Buck Run Road) and at the corners of Strasburg Road and Buck Run Road and Strasburg Road and Doe Run Road. The original signs have outlived their planned lifespan and have deteriorated beyond repair. The Lower Meadow Trail bridge and improvements will be constructed. Wetlands enhancement tree planting, informational kiosk project, and installation of additional bluebird boxes are planned, among other activities.

East Fallowfield Township

2264 Strasburg Road
East Fallowfield, PA  19320
610-384-7144
610-384-7143 (fax)

LOBBY HOURS:

Monday - Friday

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Note: The office lobby will be closed to the public on Fridays from Memorial Day through Labor Day

However, visitors can still use the outside drop box or contact us by phone

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